If you are a movie buff planning an international vacation this year, consider following a cinema trail. The world’s attention is focused on film festivals, as everyone who has followed the red carpet and the A-list knows.
In addition to meeting fascinating individuals from around the world, you will be immersed in the vibrant atmosphere of the film industry. This year, many events can take you worldwide in a single weekend. You can follow the cinema trail around the world with these five festivals.
The Margaret Mead Film Fest
The annual fall event was created in 1977 to commemorate anthropologist Margaret Meade on her seventieth birthday. The emphasis has always been on nonfiction films that expand audience awareness of the richness and diversity of the world’s people and cultures. Past premieres have included Paris is Burning (1990), Jennie Livingston’s intriguing investigation of the urban transgender population, and East Punk Memories (2012), about the Eastern Bloc music scene in Hungary, to give you an indication of the festival’s reach.
International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam
Each year, more than 200 entries are displayed at the IDFA, making it the best location to satisfy your love of the form. The annual celebration, which has been going strong since 1988, will take place from November 16 through the 27th of this year, with most films being shown at locations in the Muntplein district of Amsterdam.
There are awards for the best feature-length documentary, best short-form documentary, best student documentary, and the audience award. The quirky and humorous Don Juan (2015), Of Men and War (2014), Song from the Forest (2013), and First Cousin Once Removed (2012) are all award-winning films from recent years.
Zagreb Animation Film Festival (Animafest)
Animafest was established in 1960. Among the lesser-known facts about Zagreb, Croatia, is that it is home to the world’s second-oldest animation film festival. The event, which is now in its 26th year, showcases more than 300 features and shorts in every conceivable animation style, including stop-motion, and offers programming accessible to children, families, and adults alike. This year, Belgian animator Raoul Servais received a lifetime achievement award, and the festival has become known for its open-air screenings in the beautiful Zrinjevac Park.
This year’s lineup includes films like Psiconautas, the Forgotten Children, and Alberto Vazquez, which deals with ecological catastrophe. The Hilton Double Tree, Hotel Esplanade, and Hotel Jagerhorn are practical options regulars at Animafest recommend to newcomers.
The Sundance Film Festival
The Sundance Film Festival’s significance to the film industry is well known. In 1981, the founders of this festival saw a need to provide a platform for unaffiliated filmmakers. There is more than enough to do in the Salt Lake area, where Park City and Salt Lake City are located. Park City’s slopes are great for skiing (especially around the holidays), and the National History Museum of Utah in Salt Lake City is a great place to learn about Utah’s past.
Virginia Film Festival
The sheer size of major film festivals like Sundance and Toronto, the resulting crowds, and the difficulty of moving quickly from one venue to another can take much work. In early November, in the chill college town of Charlottesville, at the base of the Blue Ridge Mountains, lies the Virginia Film Festival, a highly accessible alternative (The fall foliage is usually stunning).
The 29th annual event takes place from November 3 to November 6. It features over 100 films from all over the world, including shorts, international, independent, documentary, and Hollywood fare, as well as several retrospectives highlighting a visiting director, actor, or theme like civil rights, local filmmakers, or film preservation.
The Violet Crown, a ten-screen cinema in the city’s downtown mall, is a popular destination for residents and visitors alike because of its casual atmosphere and proximity to some of the city’s finest eateries. Some of the neighbouring hotels offer discounted rates to eventgoers.
Conclusion
Participating in a film festival is a fantastic way to spice up your international tour. Always reach out to legitimate travel agents if you need professional assistance planning your trip. The most challenging part of your trip will be choosing a destination. Therefore, the agents will do everything possible to ensure it goes off without a hitch.
